My Sacrifice
by the.evil.slim.shady
Summary: Her chestnut eyes, though not all there, were endearing. Her smooth, sweaty skin was glistening under the strobe lights. She commenced her routine. With each seductive movement she performed, he could almost feel her physically blasting his body temperature into the stratosphere. All Human (AH AU). Updated daily.
1. Chapter 1

1: MEETING THE BAND

Since the surf of words surging from Stefan Saviour's mouth was no longer captivating, Elena Gilbert shifted her attention from him to the picturesque scene beyond the tour bus window. If painting was one of God's pastimes, the city of Vancouver was certainly one of his canvases. The white-capped mountains standing proudly against the clear blue sky. The expensive yachts dotting the sparkling ocean shoreline. As she beheld the masterpiece scrolling before her eyes, only one thought prevailed in her mind: "Home, sweet home."

For about six months, Elena had been touring the world with her bandmates Stefan, Elijah Mickaelson and Tyler Lockwood, under the name "Schismatic." The alternative rock group became an international phenomenon after the release of their debut album, _A Scholar's Philosophy._ It spawned 3 consecutive number one singles and became one of the top grossing albums of 2000, earning them a Grammy for "Best New Artist." A successful, sold-out world tour ensued in the summer of 2001, and for the first time in half a year, the band was returning to their home country.

"I wish Stefan would shut the hell up," announced Tyler, in attempts to cease Stefan's babbling. Stefan, however, was too narcissistically engrossed in his own words to notice Tyler's discontent.

"Really?" Elena remarked, but only halfheartedly.

"Last show of the tour. GM Place in Vancouver. What am I going to do with myself for the next three weeks? I guess I can finally have some R&R. Or I can go skiing, or fishing…" Elijah deliberated, as he sprawled his well-toned body on the couch.

"Do you have to remind me about your three weeks of R&R? Elena and I still have some fucking promotional activities," Tyler recited in a mock matter-of-fact manner, still disgruntled at their management's selection of publicity tactics.

"Well, Stefan and I had to do the same promos in Toronto. So I guess between the four of us, we will have installed 20 free digital satellites. I agree man, I think this publicity tactic was a stupid one. I mean, it promotes Bell, but not really our music," sighed Elijah, recalling his nights of strenuous, unpaid labour.

When Elena, Tyler, Stefan and Elijah were studying electrical/computer engineering at the University of Waterloo, they established the company "Schism-Bridge Communications" as a component of a project. After they initiated a marketing campaign, it became a profitable technology research company. In the mid to late 1990s, corporations were able to capitalize on the pop craze by advertising with imitation boy bands. To distinguish themselves, the Schism-Bridge cofounders "formed" a rock band and targeted the public with rocking commercials starring themselves. The campaign was successful and attracted the attention of both Bell Canada and Geffen Universal; Bell Canada bought out the company and Geffen Universal signed them to a record deal. For the next two years, they wrote and recorded their debut, while attending M.I.T. for graduate studies.

"Motherfucking Christ! Geffen has been pressuring us to record a new album all throughout the tour. Damn, I wish they would learn to shut the fuck up. If we could release all of our debut album songs as singles, we would have enough material to last until at least the end of next year," Stefan asserted confidently, unaware that his bandmates were having a conversation of a completely different nature.

A sarcastic Elijah grinned, "Stefan, have I ever told you how I admire your command of the English language? Your words are so poetic, to say the least."


	2. Chapter 2

2: CELEBRITY CRUSH

Damon Salvatore, bassist and vocalist of "My Bloody Vampire," stared intently at the misty night sky that was speckled with faint starlight. One star sparkled in radiant glory, seemingly undaunted by the obscuring mist. Damon resolved that it was Bree's soul watching over him, as its brightness filtered through the tour bus window.

Six painstakingly difficult months had dragged since the accident. Damon accused Bree of "slutty" infidelity after he had discovered her dresser drawer crammed with mysterious love notes and presents that were not from him. She had earnestly denied his accusation, but the insecure Damon Salvatore was not even slightly convinced. In a panicked frenzy, he massacred her with a cavalcade of profanity and she got "the fuck out of" his house. She could barely see oncoming traffic through her blurred vision. Her recklessness proved to be fatal, as a speeding driver's car collided with her. Her last breaths were full of cold, lonely regret from atop an ER gurney. If even possible, the aftermath of her tragic death was worse. Bree's best friend Lexi ENLIGHTENED Damon with the truth: The items were actually from a crazed fan of My Bloody Vampire, and they were meant for him. Bree had been contemplating what to do.

Bitter, bitter regret pressured from behind Damon's exhausted eyelids, and it eventually forced its way down his cheeks. His ashen hands were useless, as the tears that were wiped were recycled into new ones. All of a sudden, Sage Finn invaded Damon's private moment of mourning with a piercing scream that echoed throughout the tour bus.

"Fuck, I forgot Schismatic's on TV tonight," screamed Sage, the My Bloody Vampire guitarist. Her voice was a blinding contrast to the previously silent bus. "Shit, it's on some local channel. Like Vancouver Television or something. What channel is that?"

"Keep it down Sage, I'm trying to get some fucking rest!" Ric Saltzman, the drummer, yelled in response.

"How the fuck should I know, dickwad? Do I look like I'm from Vancouver?" Damon answered angrily, posing questions as answers. "Can't you channel surf, for fuck's sake?"

During her outrageous outbreak of emotion, Sage had overlooked the most obvious solution to the problem. After a few seconds of remote clicking, a gorgeous Elena Gilbert was dancing across the screen in glittery blue jeans and a formfitting top of matching color.

"Shit, she's so fucking hot. I'm so in love with her. How I'd like to F-U-C-K her. God, just thinking about it isn't enough," Sage panted, as she started to make pelvic thrusts at the television screen.

"Listen. You're fucked in the head, you fucking teenybopper. Go bop your teenaged dirtbag head in your own fucking bunk," Damon shouted at Sage.

"Why don't you just look at her first before you judge her. I guarantee that you'll like what you see," offered Sage, in attempts to appease Damon. Sage even relocated to a position at the side of the television.

Damon admitted, "Okay fuckface. She's alright." However, he was secretly smitten with the half Oriental beauty playing radical rock rifts on her Ibanez guitar. True, Schismatic had outclassed My Bloody Vampire at the recent MTV Europe Awards when they won "Best Rock Artist." As well, to date, _A Scholar's Philosophy _had sold three times as many copies as My Bloody Vampire's latest release _Fang You Real Good._ Naturally, resentment towards Schismatic festered in Damon's mind, but all those loathing thoughts diffused as he beheld Elena's swagger across the stage.

"God dammit, she's heating me up. I wish she was eating me right now," whispered Sage, as she leaned back her head and released a yelp of pleasure. "Yeah baby, right there, that's the spot baby."

As Tyler strummed the final chords of the song, the Vancouver Television crew strolled over to the band to praise them on their performance and escort them to the chair-couch ensemble for an in-depth interview.

"The Canadian leg of your world tour is coming to an end, with the last show at GM Place in two days time. Do you finally have some time off after this?" the VTV woman queried with artificially enthusiastic interest.

Elijah replied, "The Vancouver date at GM Place will actually be the final concert of the entire tour. We have had an amazing time traveling around Europe, Asia, Australia and North America, and the fans were incredible, but time to rest will be a welcome relief."

"Actually, we're not all resting. Tyler and Elena still have some promotions around town. And Elena will be the busiest of all," Stefan informed, while the corners of his lips crooked into a devilish smirk.

"What type of stuff will be keeping her busy?" the woman probed, this time with more genuine interest.

"Of course, I don't wanna embarrass her or anything. Our little Elena Gilbert has turned sexy and many male magazines are trying to get her on their covers. I think 'Maxim,' 'Gear,' and even 'Playboy' have contacted her," deliberated Stefan, aware that his chatter would enrage the otherwise well-tempered Elena.

The woman continued, "Is this true? You are usually shy about your body, do you think this will tarnish your image in any manner?"

"Actually, Stefan has been somewhat misinformed. The magazines he mentioned did contact me, but I rejected their offers. The only cover I have appeared on recently is 'Rolling Stone,' and that was with my bandmates," a composed Elena explained.

"Then let me go in the other direction. Since you have been known to be rather conservative, both in style of dress and attitude, will you ever be doing anything risqué in the future? Do you therefore find it strange that men see you as a sex symbol?" the woman asked, now engulfed in curiosity.

"I can honestly admit that it's surprising to see the guys at our concerts with the "Elena is a goddess" signs, since I see myself as a very plain, very unspectacular person. In terms of rock musicians, I think Gwen Stefani of No Doubt carries a sexier aura than I ever will, so I do find it odd that some guys find me attractive," Elena confessed.

"Let me answer the question about her doing something risqué, since she probably won't want to tell you about it," Stefan suddenly interjected. "As the testosterone-driven, horny bastards, whoops am I allowed to say that word? Okay, as the testosterone-driven, horny guys that the three of us are, we've been trying to transform our shy and quiet front woman into a sexpot. We're forcing her to do something at the Vancouver concert, since we want to end the tour with a fangin' bang. She'll be doing a little number for a lucky, random guy in the audience. You know, retro Madonna Tour style. Of course, because we're talking about Elena here, it'll be a very watered down, very dilute version of a Madonna routine. And until the show night, she'll be practicing the routine over and over again, until it's perfect, and I might have to be the unlucky victim that she practices on." As those lethal words overflowed from Stefan's lips, Elena turned an interesting shade of crimson. However, his comments did conjure laughs from the male audience.

"Speaking of practices, I see here that your last rehearsal has been described as an open practice. What does that mean?" the woman blurted to derail the topic, since she could sense Elena's discomfort.

"An open practice is a practice session that is accessible to the public. The first 1000 people in line at noon tomorrow, along with other people who have won contests or are from the 'Make A Wish' foundation, can attend," Tyler clarified.

"Actually, I wanted to ask just one more question about Schism-Bridge Communications. The four of you actually started this company, which was bought out by Bell Canada?" the woman questioned the Schismatic members, fascinated with their entrepreneurial endeavours. Although she had started the interview with false fascination, she became more intrigued with Schismatic as the interview progressed.

"Yes, we started the company back in 1996 while we were studying at UW," Elijah narrated the well-known story once more.

"And you all actually attended MIT, with all of you graduating in the top 20% of your class. Elena was actually the top student! I find this interesting because I have read articles about many musicians and very few of them started as scholars. So many rock bands out there knew they wanted to be in the music industry from the get go, so they have been together for years and years, 'paying their dues' before they made it big. For that reason, some people have said that Schismatic's success was served up on a silver platter. You guys never really had aspirations to be a big time rock band. In fact, you started playing your self-written songs on the Schism-Bridge commercial campaign. That campaign was such an intelligently humorous and witty one that it was even honoured at the Telecom Marketing Awards. It attracted the attention of Bell Canada, who bought out the company, and Geffen Universal, who signed you to a record deal. Here you are now, battling with the best of them," the woman observed.

"We admit, we came into a ready-made rock market, a market that had been revived by the likes of My Bloody Vampire, Limp Bizkit and Creed. But we, along, with all the other new acts like Lifehouse and Linkin' Park, are just trying to find our niche in the rock genre. I think that every band has something unique to offer. And I do NOT think, for one second, that just because we had success with our first album, as opposed to My Bloody Vampire who only started to see mainstream success with their 3rd or 4th album, our credibility as artists is any less. It's all about the music! Making good music that people enjoy and can relate to," Tyler elucidated, dismissing the claims that Schismatic's success was handed to them.

"Each and every rock band has a distinct history. Some bands have made more sacrifices than others, but so goes life. We may not have begun as an underground band, but we have put in the hours, tears and sweat into just as many practices as any other band out there. Elena and Tyler grew up in the same middle class neighborhood in Vancouver, playing their acoustics when they were bored. Stefan and I always disturbed the peace in our downtown Toronto apartment complex, with me strumming on the bass and Stefan mercilessly banging at his drum set. Our beginning is unique because we started realizing our potential because of the commercial campaign. Very few people know this, but we were actually very tentative about playing our own songs on our commercials. We were afraid that people would think we were somehow mocking rock music or something. But people should realize that we have always loved to write and play music. Quite therapeutic. I mean, we learned a lot trying to balance writing and recording a debut with studying at university. I think that that unique experience gave the debut the distinctive sound that made it so popular. We actually toured some university campuses for some time as well. We all began playing music at young ages. So in other ways, our history is just like any other rock band. We have always loved music, loved to play it, loved to write it and loved to hear it. We just had a very different beginning and entry into the business, but we hope that people will realize that our music is for real. We write, play and produce, and every word we write and sing comes straight from our minds and hearts. I sound like one of those boyband dudes, don't I?" Elijah joked.

"Well, thank you very much Schismatic for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us. They are playing to a sold out audience at GM Place on August 17…" the woman's voice trailed off as commercials proceeded to air.

"Fuck. We've got to get into that open practice. And I've got to be the lucky bitch that she practices that routine on, over and over and over again...Holy I'm already exited. Can we contact their 'people' or something? I mean, I'm fucking famous. I should be able to pull some strings," plotted Sage, as some sinful ideas churned in her head.

Damon berated, "How can we attend the practice tomorrow? Sage, need I remind you, again, that we are a band too and we have to practice for our own show. We fucking perform one night after they do!" In reality, he was thankful. However, those thoughts dissolved as images of Bree overpowered them. "Elena is just another girl...She is NOT attractive at all. Only six months. Bree would be disappointed," he reasoned with himself.

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Author's Note: Thank you for the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to dreio.


	3. Chapter 3

3: STRIP TEASE

"We're not making any progress Elena," Caroline, the dance choreographer, groaned exasperatedly. "This is a performance, it's supposed to be sensual, sexual, full of emotion, not mechanical and apathetic. I want the moves to flow with naturalness. Pretend this guy's your lover, your destined twin flame, the one you want to make love to the rest of your life. You want to please him. Now with that in mind, try again."

Sensual? Sexy? Full of emotion. The words were vermin gnawing away at Elena's already overloaded mind. Again, an exhausted Elena practiced the routine. To the 1000+ people in the audience, it was flawless and potently erotic. Nevertheless, the perfectionist known as Caroline did not agree with the majority.

"I see the problem. I think you're having trouble visualizing. You're dancing to a chair right now! I think we need a guy to sit in the chair. I was going to do this later on, but seeing that you're having so much trouble, let's do it now," Caroline rationalized, but not entirely confident that the problem would be solved. "Klaus, Klaus, where are you? I need you to pick some random guy from the audience, like we discussed. And make sure he's H-O-T. Now go."

Klaus was a behind-the-scenes busboy. Even though he was involved in the music industry, his salary was poverty line and he was always in desperate need of spending cash. Prior to the practice, an unidentified man offered him $1000 to select someone in a Taylor Swift shirt in the front row for the infamous routine. Sage the ventriloquist had succeeded in her string pulling; the unidentified man was a friend of My Bloody Vampire's manager. "You in the Taylor Swift shirt, who is obviously taking the piss, come here," Klaus pointed at Damon, who was clad in Sage's shirt.

"Me?" Damon pointed at himself.

"There is a beautiful woman wanting to practice a routine on you. Are you going hurry up or not?" Klaus commanded with urgency.

A frantic Sage screeched, "Fuck, I'm the one you're supposed to choose. I'm Sage. Wanna see my ID? God, who the fuck told you to pick a guy in a Taylor Swift shirt? You're supposed to pick Sage Finn, the Sage Finn from My Bloody Valentine."

"Sorry mi' lady. I was told to choose someone in a Taylor Swift shirt in the front row. I was not asked to pick a Sage Finn, or whoever the hell you claim to be. You are in the front row, but you absolutely are NOT wearing a Taylor Swift shirt, now are you? How do I know you aren't just fucking with me so you can get on stage?" Klaus retorted.

"Fuck! Damon asked me to borrow the shirt this morning, right dickface? He 'loves' Taylor Swift. It's a running joke," Sage turned to face Damon with a raging look.

Damon responded reluctantly, "Uh…yah."

"Look I don't have time for your silly little games, let's get moving," boomed Klaus, ignoring Sage's plea.

As Klaus jerked at Damon's sleeve, Damon offered Sage a genuinely apologetic smile. Although being on the stage with Elena would not be the absolute worst thing in the world, he realized that his friendship with Sage was the priority at the moment. He attempted to clarify the situation for Klaus but to no avail. "Look Swifty, just enjoy the show. I know I would give my hybrid kidney to be in your position," Klaus beamed.

Caroline directed Damon to position himself in the chair. Elena reassured him with a pleasant grin. "Hi. My name's Elena Gilbert. I think that this will be quite embarrassing for you and me, so please forgive me. No worries though, I will really try to make this as quick and painless as I can, because I just want to go home..." Elena trailed off. She was speaking to Damon, but she was actually concentrated on matters elsewhere.

"Oh, uh no problem..." Damon stared at her intently from underneath his ball cap beak. Her chestnut eyes, though not all there, were endearing. Her smooth, sweaty skin was glistening under the strobe lights. She commenced her routine. With each seductive movement she performed, he could almost feel her physically blasting his body temperature into the stratosphere. When she removed her top, the next costume top was underneath. She then proceeded to place his hands on either side of her pants, where the zippers were located. She guided his hands down the zipper seams, exposing a skirt. Damon could feel a distinctive bulge forming in his pants and prayed that the fabric would be able to contain the beast. The routine ended with him secretly praying for more, even though he knew that this was supposed to be a dilute performance. "Where's the groin to groin grind and shit? Her legs were propped up on either side, so she hardly even touched me. I only got to touch her when she put my hands on her pants, I only got to touch her just above the knees. I want more!" A gleeful applause brought Damon out of his trance.

"Awesome. That was perfection. See girl, I know you had it in you," Caroline cheered, content with the outcome performance.

"Did I mention that I am really, really, really sorry about this? I imagine that this was awkward for you. Thank you for understanding..." Elena apologized. Like before, her mouth spoke words while her mind pranced around from thought to thought in another world. Klaus escorted Damon off the stage.

"You fucking dick. You stole my spot. At least tell me you enjoyed it, so it didn't go to complete waste. You at least got hard right?" Sage showered Damon with a combination of insults and questions.

"Um…ugh….well…let's go," stammered Damon, trying to change the subject. He sensed that his enjoyment would be a betrayal to Bree, but something about Elena was attracting his mind, body and soul. "God, please don't tell me that I actually have some stupid school girl crush on her," Damon thought to himself.


	4. Chapter 4

4: UNLEASH THE BEAST

"Are you alright Elena? Did he try to make a move on you? If he did, I swear I'll... I'll... I'll... rip his penis off," Tyler furiously stuttered, while clenching and unclenching his fists. That morning, Stefan had informed Tyler of Elena's "dance in Damon's lap," and Tyler had been overwhelming her with questions ever since.

"Tyler, relax: it was 2 days ago. History. Finished. I escaped unscathed. He was actually really considerate about the whole ordeal. Not one dirty action that I would consider as making a move. Besides, I had to do the same routine yesterday during our actual concert. Why are you putting so much emphasis on the practice routine? Plus, you know that that routine was watered down to my taste, both in practice and in the concert, so I barely even touched both of the guys," Elena soothed, attempting to appease Tyler's rage.

"What the fuck? The guy at our performance was just some average Joe Blow off the street! But the guy at the rehearsal was a fucking celebrity. Which is why I don't understand how the hell he got up on stage. Don't tell me it wasn't planned beforehand. Shit, I should have been there, why wasn't I at the rehearsal? Why wasn't I at the rehearsal? And why didn't you stop it Stefan, why? If I was there, it wouldn't have happened," Tyler moaned in frustration.

"What celebrity? I swear Tyler, there's no conspiracy. He's a random guy that Bonnie's assistant chose from the audience," justified Elena.

"Yah, that's how you ended up in Damon Salvatore's lap. Damon fucking Salvatore from My Bloody Vampire, seems like he was a fucking random choice to me," remarked Tyler, in a contemptuously sarcastic manner.

"What do you mean? That guy is in My Bloody Vampire?" Elena demanded, genuinely flabbergasted.

"Of course he was Damon fucking Salvatore from My Bloody Vampire! Didn't you know that? I was only watching you guys from a distance and I knew it was him," Stefan, who had been silent to this point, piped in.

"Was I supposed to know who he was? Of course, he did look somewhat familiar. But he was wearing a hat and he was in the shadows, so I just didn't get a good look at his face. And I just wanted to get the practice finished so I could go home, so I wasn't really concentrating...I remember that I kept apologizing to him, but that was kind of absent-mindedly, because I didn't want him to be uncomfortable...But that doesn't mean I was analyzing every feature on his face to make sure he wasn't a celebrity...And Bonnie just kept yelling at me...And...Now I'm really embarrassed," Elena rambled on, as she massaged her throbbing temples.

"It's okay baby." Tyler whispered in Elena's ear, as he rubbed her back. "Why are you embarrassed baby? Is it cause he did something to you? What, just tell me, I'll make it better, I promise."

"For fuck's sake Tyler, take a fucking chill pill! Firstly, Elena isn't your girlfriend anymore, and she hasn't been for months now, so she can do whatever and whomever she damn well pleases. Secondly, you were busy fucking some whore, so you were the only, and I stress the word only, member absent from practice. You claim that 'El is my soul mate, if she would just take me back,' but you go around fucking any female you lay your eyes on. What, to make her jealous or something? That really makes sense, smartass. Thirdly, Damon didn't do a thing okay? He was basically motionless in the chair. Well, all except for the huge boner he got. Shit, he pitched one hell of a trouser tent. But, of course I would too…" Stefan stopped in mid-sentence since Elena was glaring at him.

"He had a damn boner too?" exclaimed Tyler, incensed yet again.

"Just stop worrying alright! Besides, like I said before, you were the only one who missed the rehearsal so don't go pushing the blame on me, asking why I didn't do anything to stop it. I didn't stop it because it wasn't a big deal. I mean, if you had just showed up, we were gonna do a sound check right after she was finished with her routine but no! Our fucking playboy bunny had to be out screwing around again!" shouted Stefan. Tyler had somehow managed to annoy Stefan (the same Stefan who took pleasure in annoying others) with his relentless and meaningless complaints.

"You fucking stay out of it alright? This is between El and me," Tyler wrathfully retaliated.

Elena wordlessly stared at the two boxers, who continued to exchange blows. Certainly, Stefan was winning; his arguments were factual and proved his point. Tyler and Elena were no longer romantically involved with each other. She decided to sever their ties days before the beginning of their world tour because he was aggressively possessive of her during their relationship. However, the situation worsened after the breakup, and Tyler would be on a blind, jealous rampage every time he thought someone was interested in her.

"Who's fucking idea was it to have her do the Madonna routine anyways? It was you, it's all your fault!" Tyler droned on, trying to place the blame on anyone other than himself.

"Well, shitbrick! Don't you remember the article? 'Three awesome rockers and the weight that's dragging them down.' I hope you remember that article. The one that made El cry endlessly for an entire week! The fucking writer said she was unfit to be a rock star! All because she didn't act like Britney fucking Spears. I mean, here she is, probably one of the best guitarists out there! I couldn't sit back and watch her get hurt. So we, as a group, and I stress the word group, decided that she should change her image. Nothing too crazy. But something that would garner her some more respect in the industry, all while remaining true to her principles of tastefulness," Stefan recollected.

"Wearing tight clothes and leather pants is one thing, but then you took it a step further, and said, 'You should give some guy in the audience a Madonna style performance.' That was really pushing it. Remember, that's the last time we argued like this," Tyler pointed out.

"Tyler, Stefan only had my best interests in mind. The efforts aren't in vain; these efforts are for us, as a band. I feel more confident now; I am making contributions to this band, I am not weighing it down, and I actually belong with you guys," pleaded Elena, in a last effort attempt to pacify his temper.

"I like the old you better. Back then, when you weren't as popular with the guys, I didn't have to go fuck up as many handsome little faces. But now, it's a different story. And I'm going to deal with Dashing Damon right now," Tyler beamed devilishly. Stefan and Elena exchanged concerned glances.

"Don't worry El, he's just kidding right? He's verbally abusive, but not physically a violent guy, he won't do anything stupid," Stefan reassured, affectionately kneading Elena's shoulder. Elena, however, was not as convinced as Stefan was.

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Author's Note: Thank you for the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to emeraldeyes262.


	5. Chapter 5

5: SMOOTH CRIMINAL

As Damon strummed the dying notes of "Call of the Wild," the audience applauded and howled appreciatively. Shortly after My Bloody Vampire's performance, everyone had filtered out of Thunderbird Stadium and it was eerily silent. Sage and Alaric had immediately disappeared from the stadium after the show to attend to their "hot dates." The roadies were outside, loading stage props onto the tour truck. Damon, abandoned and alone with nothing better to do, chose to gift the roadies a head start on the sound equipment on the stage. As he was unplugging Sage's guitar from the amplifier, he had the strange sensation of being watched. He gradually cocked his head up and darted his eyes around the empty stadium that was overflowing with ebony darkness. A wispy wind that had entered from an open side door tenderly caressed his face. He laughed off his apprehension and continued winding the guitar cords into a bundle. Without warning, a muscular hand gripped his shoulder forcefully. Damon cautiously turned to meet the unexpected visitor.

"Ah, the famous Damon Salvatore. What are you doing all alone this evening? Aren't you supposed to be fucking my girlfriend right about now?" a voice inquired calmly, the face of the speaker still concealed within the mysterious shadows.

"Who the hell are you? And what are you talking about?" Damon shot back defiantly in attempts to suppress his fear. Tyler audaciously stepped into the light with an evil sneer plastered on his face.

"I'm Tyler from Schismatic, and it seems that you have taken a liking to my girl Elena," Tyler clarified.

"Look Tyler, I haven't touched Elena. She only rehearsed a routine on me. And I was literally dragged onto the stage, since it was supposed to be Sage, my bandmate," rationalized Damon.

"Sage, the guitarist right? So Sage arranged all this, how did she do it?" probed Tyler, taking great pleasure in being the aggressor in this encounter with Damon.

"Well, he got his friend to pay Elena's dance choreographer assistant. The assistant was supposed to choose Sage to go up on stage. The problem is, his friend was rather ambiguous with Sage's description, and somehow I got chosen," Damon nervously chuckled.

"Well I'm going to go chat with this Sage person then," an apathetic Tyler replied. Damon, sensing that there would be trouble for his friend, selflessly took the bullet.

"Actually…um…it was me who arranged it. Sage had nothing to do with it. If you're going to do something, it should be to me," Damon stammered, taking the knife stab for Sage.

"Oh, how chivalrous of you Damon, sacrificing yourself! Elena absolutely loves that quality in a man, you'd be a perfect match for her. Problem is, you have to get through me first," Tyler smirked.

"Look, I don't wanna get with Elena. Just leave me alone, and I'll leave her alone," Damon reasoned with the fiend in front of him.

"Well boy, some heads have gotta roll for the mishap. Let's start with yours," and with that, Tyler reached into his coat pocket, removed a small pocketknife and stabbed Damon in the neck. Damon, unable to defend himself, could only watch in horror as Tyler withdrew the knife with a grin and smeared the blood on Damon's shirt. "Next target is Elena." As Damon crashed to the floor, Tyler promptly sprinted to the door. Damon carefully raised his hand to the knife wound; he was bleeding so profusely that his hand had become drenched in redness. Although crimson blood was spurting out of his neck, he could only think of Elena and her safety. With great effort, he hauled himself across the stage to his duffel bag, where he searched for his cellular. When he found it, he dialed Sage's number but only reached her voice mail. "Elena from Schismatic is in trouble. Tyler's out to get her. She's in trouble Sage you have to save her. Call our manager to get in touch with their manager to see where she is. Or call the police. Or I don't know, just do something..." Shortly after, a combination of light and dark, black and white, swirled in his head as he fell unconscious.

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Author's Note: Thank you for the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to elvalove.


	6. Chapter 6

6: FACE TO FACE

The clock ticked, as the seconds, minutes, and hours silently dissolved into the night. In the hospital waiting area, a concerned Elena relentlessly paced back and forth while her mind recollected the recent events. Damon and her were merely casual acquaintances, but somehow, their courses had awkwardly intertwined in a made for movie drama conspiracy. Damon sacrificed his own sanity and well-being to protect a woman that he had met only a short time ago. If his life were in jeopardy, she would never be able to forgive herself. As her mind conjured images of an unconscious Damon lying in a hospital bed, she touched the scar that marred her own face and neck. After Tyler had accomplished his criminal endeavours, he returned to the hotel in an intoxicated state and slashed her on the face and neck for "being a slut and sleeping with Damon." Suddenly, two strong arms enveloped around her waist, interrupting her thoughts. They belonged to Tyler.

"Baby, I'm so sorry. I didn't know what I was thinking. I shouldn't have hurt you. I love you too much to hurt you," he apologized, while nuzzling his head in Elena's neck. Elena, in obvious disgust, tore herself away from Tyler's clutches and situated near Stefan, Elijah, Sage, and Alaric, who were talking about guitars and drums in attempts to divert their attention from the situation at hand. Tyler, the persistent bastard, once again attempted to approach Elena, but both Stefan and Elijah emerged from their seats.

"Tyler, I don't care if I sound like your fucking father. I am fucking disappointed in you. When I received a panicked call from our manager, at 2 am in the morning, I didn't know what the fuck to think. My Bloody Vampire's manager had called him earlier to tell him that Damon was injured, and that you were the fucking perpetrator. I was blown out of the fucking water, in utter disbelief. When he said that El was in trouble, I thought 'No fucking way. Not Tyler, he wouldn't hurt two innocent people in one night.' But, when I rushed into her hotel room, there you were, smacking her around. And you wonder why she doesn't want to be your girlfriend?! You're sick Tyler, just despicably, appallingly sick. Fucking sick! You complain day and night that Elena won't take you back. But you sleep with other women, you abuse her...You're so fucked up in the head, man," Stefan raved, mustering enough restraint to avoid assaulting Tyler then and there.

"I think you need to leave Elena and the band for now," Elijah offered, playing the role of the peacekeeper.

"Not until that little fucking shitbag asshole pays for fucking everything up," Tyler screamed with rage, pointing his middle finger at Sage. The combined effort of Stefan, Elijah and Alaric was barely enough to detain the devilish psychopath Tyler. "Okay, I'll let you off Finn, seeing that I've fucked up Damon enough for you as well. But you tell your little dashing pretty friend Damon that it's not over, it's just begun. If he thinks he's gonna be screwing around with my girl anytime soon, tell him I will stab him in the penis with a razor knife and twist and turn until the whole fucking thing falls off, so he can never, ever fuck again." After uttering the threat, Tyler disappeared once again.

Time torturously passed by. At last, a doctor emerged from Damon's room, and reported some inspiring news on his condition. Although he had severe wounds to his neck, he was alive, awake, and would fully recover in time. Finally, after hours of waiting, hoping, and praying, the delegation in the waiting room was allowed to visit Damon. Sage introduced Damon to Stefan and Elijah. "And I guess this girl right here needs no introduction," Sage giggled as Elena forced on a feeble smile.

"I'm kinda hungry Sage, maybe we should go get some food," Alaric casually hinted, hoping that the sometimes imperceptive Sage would comprehend.

"I'm not too hungry dude. Why don't you go with Stefan and Elijah?" a thick headed Sage replied nonchalantly.

"Because, um…we're not eating, we're um…picking up people?" Elijah uttered with uncertainty. Alaric literally hauled Sage from the room, with Stefan and Elijah following them.

Elena, evidently uncomfortable, stared at the ivory tiled floor for a few minutes before positioning herself in the chair next to Damon's bed. "Since I first met you, it seems that every word I've said to you is an apology, so this is probably going to sound repetitive, but it has to be said. I'm sorry that you got involved. How in the world did this happen? You don't even know me. You shouldn't be in the hospital right now."

"No problem. I think I did what I should have done. You see, I'm actually a little insecure myself, of course not to Tyler's extremes, but still, I'm insecure. My old girlfriend, Bree, she used to be my everything. One day, I found all these weird gifts and shit that weren't from me in her drawer. I accused her of cheating, and she denied it. But of course, I just wouldn't stop. I called her all these obscene names. I called her a bitch, I called her a whore. She was distraught, she ran from the house, she crossed the street recklessly, she got hit by a car. She died. God, when I saw Tyler yesterday, I saw a bit of my own reflection in him. It was like the worst manifestation of insecurity I've ever seen in my life. I just didn't want to see another person get hurt because of someone else's insecurity and jealousy. As long as you're okay, the stab wound is nothing. See, it doesn't even hurt," Damon smiled that heartwarming, charming smile. "But I guess he got to you too." Damon raised his hand and gently caressed the wound on Elena's face. For a while, they just sat quietly, face-to-face, enjoying each other's silent comfort.

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Author's Note: Thank you for the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to emeraldeyes262.


	7. Chapter 7

7: SAGE THERAPY

"Look Damon, I'm sorry, you know. I kinda got you into this mess. And the way you took the bullet for me, man, I know you're my bro. But if you like Elena, you should have opened your fucking mouth and told me. It's not like I really love her or anything, I just think she's hot. Besides, you know that I'm seriously faithful to Bex," Sage managed to say while chewing on a taco. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and stared expectantly at her friend.

Damon questioned sarcastically, "So faithful that you wanted Elena?"

"Look dude, I only look but I never touch. I am faithful to Bex. Why do you think I bolted that quickly after our show? I felt kinda guilty about fantasizing about Elena, so I wanted to spend a romantic night with Bex in a nice restaurant. And we made hot monkey love for the entire night. I certainly made up for everything in bed, if I do say so myself," Sage chortled as she playfully arched her left eyebrow.

"What the fuck is wrong with me Sage? Bree died only six months ago. I can't be falling for someone already," Damon grunted in frustration, burying his face into his palms.

"Dude, you know what? You have to do a little something called 'letting go.' Look, I know it's been difficult. But fuck! You have to move on! I know that Bree was your first serious relationship in a long time, but dude, you haven't been laid in six months. I'm no health expert and shit, but that's gotta be bad for the body. I think Elena would be a good fuck, don't you agree?" Sage teased, in attempts to alleviate Damon's uneasiness.

"Look, it's not about sex! And that's what's fucking scary! I mean, Bree kinda started out as a one night stand. I fucked her the first night I met her and, well, things just progressed from there. With Elena, it's different. This is the first time I've been interested in someone, without seriously plotting evil ways to get into her panties. Well, I mean minus the time she gave me that sorry excuse of a lap dance. It was good and all, it just left way too much to the imagination. She was fully clothed. There was next to no bodily contact for three quarters of the fucking routine, and I felt like I was about to explode when she put my hand on her knee. And it was only her knee too, not her thigh! But that was the only time I've thought about fucking her. The rest of the time, it's just like 'God, she's so beautiful and smart. Wow, she went to MIT.' It's just so fucking scary!" Damon screeched, flailing his arms about in a frenzy.

"My theory is this. Maybe along the way, you know after the trauma and shit of the Bree thing, you've realized that falling in love is now more of a priority than just fucking. I mean, maybe you've found your Bex, so to speak," Sage expounded, with seriousness in her voice.

"I've always respected you Sage. You're always 100 percent faithful to Bex. I just wish I could be more like you. Look, it's not like I don't want to be able to commit or something. I just have serious security issues. The way I look at it is this. Let's make a hypothetical situation. Say I was right and Bree was cheating on me. And let's pretend she didn't die that night. I seriously would have just went out and fucked the next whore who expressed interest. I don't want to be the one hurt, alright! And this is the way I see it. If I'm doing the fucking around, then I'm doing the hurting, and not the other way around," Damon admitted.

"No offense Damon. I know you're my best friend and all, but I gotta tell you that that's some pretty fucked up logic. I mean, let me tell you what keeps me from cheating on Bex. When I think about fucking other girls, like the whole Elena thing, I keep in mind that it's just a fantasy. Fantasizing is normal. Bex tells me that she wants to fuck Jolie all the time! But acting out on that fantasy is another thing. I kept saying that I wanted Elena to give me head and shit, but I wouldn't have let her do it, even if she was willing! I think it takes a bigger chick to keep her vag in her pants then whipping it out every time she's horny. And that keeps the relationship with Bex honest and truthful. And plus, I know that Bex's a great girl, and she's always my real fantasy anyways," Sage sentimentally spurted.

"How fucking sweet! Finn, my teeth are rotting! But seriously, in my own defense, I've gotta say that I wasn't a nymphomaniac or something before I met Bree. Ever since My Bloody Vampire has seen success, all I've wanted was to find a girl that I can seriously fall in love with. Just fall in love with, and be with her forever, you know? But along the way, I've learned that most females will just throw themselves at me because I'm in a successful rock band, without giving regard to starting a serious relationship. And I just got swept under, and that's why I slept around. It's not that I enjoyed fucking a girl, and then leaving her in a hotel room the next morning. I have a conscience too," Damon assured matter-of-factly. "Actually, I want to find my Bex; I'm ready to commit if I find the right girl. That's all I'm looking for Sage."

Sage urged, "What's your fucking problem? Why don't you just ask Elena out and see how it goes? Maybe she's that person that you've been looking to fall in love with, maybe not. But you gotta ask her out first, dicklips, or you'll never know."

"Okay, you're right. But what about Tyler? Isn't he seriously fucked up when it comes to Elena dating? I mean, that dude is seriously scary. He's the reason why I'm in a hospital bed, talking to you. He's the reason why we had to postpone the fucking tour. He's the reason why we have to spend the next month in Vancouver, while I recover. He's the reason-" Damon rambled on and on.

"Okay, okay, okay, I get the point fucker! You know, I don't think that Tyler is really a devilish psychopath. Wait, I take that back. What I mean is, I think that he still has feelings for Elena, but if he sees that you're serious about getting with her, maybe he'll promise not to turn insane on your ass in return for Elena's happiness. Look at it this way, he's actually not that different from you. He's insecure, he fucks around because of that insecurity, but I think he just wants the same thing as you do: a girl he can fall in love with. And I think that Elena is like Bex, just a girl that you can fall in love with, for the rest of your life. And Tyler's just having trouble letting go of something that isn't his," Sage suggested.

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading and the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to emeraldeyes262, YAZMIN V, and Lady Vienna.


	8. Chapter 8

8: DON'T FALL AWAY

"I had a feeling I would find you here. I think we need to talk, Tyler. Your insecurity is tearing Elena apart. It's also tearing Schismatic apart. But I want to help you deal with it," Stefan began, placing his hand on Tyler's shoulder to reassure him. Tyler, obviously drunk and reeking of alcohol, glared at Stefan with scarlet, bloodshot eyes. Tyler exhaled deeply, and then sheltered his face within the protective crook of his elbow. Stefan ordered a light alcoholic beverage and stared fascinatingly at the crystal clear shot glass that housed the intoxicating liquid. He periodically darted his eyes in Tyler's direction, debating whether he should resume conversation with his drunken friend. After about 10 minutes, Stefan decided that the problems at hand needed an immediate resolution; just as he opened his mouth to speak, Tyler interrupted him.

"Dude, I don't need your psychiatrist bullshit. I can deal with this on my own," Tyler grumbled. "I don't need your analysis. I don't need you to give me a dose of reality, because I know what the reality of the situation is."

"Really? Then would you mind telling me about it, I'm thoroughly intrigued," Stefan responded, eager to hear Tyler's explanation and interpretation of the situation at hand.

"I know what you're going to say. You're going to say that I need to leave Elena alone and not be so goddamned jealous when other guys express interest in her. Well, it's just not as fucking easy as you think. You have no idea how much I care about her. Not even the slightest fucking clue about how deeply I love her. Not even the slightest clue," Tyler trailed off.

Stefan inquired, "What the hell do you mean? I certainly know you love her very much. But you're not handling that love like a man. I want to ask you a very simple question Tyler. What exactly do you want right now? Where do you see yourself in ten years?"

"What do I want? What the fuck do I want? For starters, I want Elena. I want her to be my girlfriend now. I want her to be my wife ten years from now. I want to have children with her ten years from now. It's a simple dream. I would give up everything to have that dream. I would leave this fucking band. Anything," Tyler yelled as tears streamed from his eyes.

"What about Elena's happiness? How important is that to you?" Stefan continued, once again resting his palm on Tyler's shoulder.

"Of course that means the world to me as well. How do you think it would make me feel if my wife was unhappy? I wouldn't want to see that," Tyler confessed.

"Then don't you see it? Tyler, she's not happy with you. She'll never be happy with you. Because you love her too much. You try to control her every move. You limit her from reaching her full potential. Every time she wants to be bold, she's always reminded that you might not approve. Tyler, that's not healthy for her," Stefan reasoned.

"But what about my happiness? What about what I want? She's my happiness, I swear. She is my happiness. Without her, I'm an alcoholic. Without her, I'm a psychopath. Without her, I'm lost. Without her, I'm not me," Tyler whispered, as the hot tears continued to scald his cheeks.

"Look, life isn't fair. You don't always get to be with the person you want to be with. You know what, I'm going to tell you a little something that I've never told anyone before. I actually had a crush on Elena when she was going out with you. And to this day, I still care deeply for her. But I realized that, well, she was with you! I was able to deal with it like a man. I think you should too," Stefan challenged. "Sleeping with 20 women a night isn't going to make her come back. If you think you'll make her jealous, and that will make her come back to you, you're a coward then. You aren't making her jealous, but you're making her, and the rest of us for that matter, worry about you. El, Elijah and I have always wondered about you, whether or not you use protection, whether or not you even care about the girl you're with. But Elena cares about you as a friend. Not as a lover. Are you going to be a coward, and not accept that, and try blindly and desperately to win her heart back with these ruthless tactics? Or are you going to be a man, and be happy when Elena finds someone who loves her, and move on with your life?" Stefan asked, hopeful that he had convinced Tyler to change his ways.

"I'll think about it, alright?" Tyler replied, and then attempted to rise from the stool. His knees buckled, and he stumbled backwards, landing on his derriere. He peeked up at Stefan shamefacedly; Stefan had already reached out a hand to Tyler. Tyler graciously took Stefan's offering, and added, "Please take me home first."

Without another word, Stefan drove Tyler to his upscale townhouse. As they entered the gated community, Tyler began to stir from his sleep, but did not wake from it. When they arrived at Tyler's house, Stefan carried Tyler into the house and up the stairs to his room. After Tyler was in the warmth and safety of his bed, Stefan trudged down the stairs and slept on the living room couch.

At 3 am in the morning, Tyler woke from his sleep. He frantically massaged his throbbing temples to ease the headache; it was a reminder of last night's clusterfuck of a binge. As his fingers stroked meticulously, he suddenly had the urge to spew his stomach's contents. He hurried into the washroom and clutched both sides of the toilet as fluid ejected from his mouth. When he was finished, he wiped his mouth with a cloth. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror: a pallid, exhausted Tyler Lockwood peered back at him.

Tyler attempted to sleep once again. However, his thoughts were parasites infecting his mind, not allowing him to attain that elusive state of slumber. Music, he thought, would definitely soothe his body, mind, and spirit. He pressed the "play" button on his hi-fi stereo system, and the melody of Fuel's "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" soon filled the room.

Memories are just where you laid them  
Drag the waters 'till the depths give up their dead  
What did you expect to find?  
Was there something you left behind?  
Don't you remember anything I said when I said

Don't fall away, and leave me to myself  
Don't fall away and leave love bleeding  
In my hands, in my hands again  
Leave love bleeding  
In my hands, in my hands  
Love lies bleeding

Oh hold me now I feel contagious  
Am I the only place that you've left to go?  
She cries her life is like  
Some movie black and white  
Dead actors faking lines  
Over and over and over again she cries

Don't fall away, and leave me to myself  
Don't fall away, and leave love bleeding  
In my hands, in my hands again  
Leave love bleeding  
In my hands, in my hands  
Love lies bleeding

And I wanted  
You turned away  
You don't remember, but I do  
You never even tried

Don't fall away and leave me to myself  
Don't fall away and leave love bleeding  
In my hands, in my hands again  
Leave love bleeding  
In my hands, in my hands  
Love lies bleeding

"Love lies bleeding," Tyler crooned alongside Fuel's lead singer. During the four minutes of the song, the answers had all migrated to him. He did not necessarily like them, but he knew, within his heart of hearts, that they would correct all the wrongs that had transpired in the last year. With trembling fingers, he dialed the familiar digits of Elena's cell. When she answered it, his mannish façade evaporated into the night air, and his natural emotions flowed from his heart, much like the tears were flowing from his eyes.

"I love you so much. But you deserve to be happy. And if that's not with me," Tyler sighed exhaustedly, "then it's not with me. And I think I do need to take some time off from you and the band. Don't worry, I'm not leaving the band for good, I just need to get away. I'm going to Hong Kong, to visit my grandparents. I just want you to know, that I'm going to correct this situation with Damon, you have my word." For a while, other than the periodic outbreaks of static charge, there was silence on the line. Elena, after being roused by a phone call at 3:15 am in the morning, was desperately attempting to absorb all the information that Tyler had bestowed upon her.

"Tyler, I love you too. And I respect you for your decision. If you want to leave the band, take as much time as you want. As long as you have all the answers that you are looking for, I will be happy for you," Elena promised, as the corners of her lips curved into a conflicted smile.

"Alright, I'm going to visit Damon at the hospital, to make sure that he's alright and he doesn't feel like taking my ass to court," Tyler joked. "And I'm leaving Vancouver at noon. But I don't think any of you guys should come to the airport. Don't worry, all will be resolved in due time, baby. Until then, try not to miss me too much, and I hope you find the answers you are looking for as well."

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading and the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to YAZMIN V, kagari freedom, beverlie4055, BrandyWine97-64, and zikae218.


	9. Chapter 9

9: RIGHTING THE WRONGS

"Damon, I can't believe you told Sage everything and you've yet to tell me anything. I want to know too," Alaric complained in a mock childish manner. While waiting for Damon's reply, Alaric lightly drummed his fingers against the hospital bed frame.

"Quit bellyaching fuck boy! I'm gonna be in this hospital for three more days, that's more than enough time to tell you my entire, frickin life story! So anyway, here's what I told Sage. I think I like Elena, but I don't know how to approach her, and I'm seriously afraid of that psychopath Tyler, so there you have it. My conversation with Sage summarized in a sentence," Damon retorted while running his fingers through his short hair. He closed his eyes shortly thereafter, enjoying the solace of a momentarily silent room.

"Well fuck Tyler. I agree with Sage. Tyler's just insecure. He's having trouble letting go of what isn't his any longer, namely a lovely woman named Elena Gilbert. I mean, I was talking to Stefan just a short while ago. He said that Tyler is not usually such a violent person. It's just that, well, he doesn't know how to handle his feelings for Elena. And he sure as hell doesn't know how to handle the fact that Elena no longer loves him," Alaric informed.

A voice came from the doorway. "Alaric is right," Tyler murmured sheepishly.

"Whoa, whoa, get away from me fucker! How much of the conversation did you hear? We were actually talking about-El-um. El-um-

Eleanor Roosevelt. Yah, I have a mad crush on Eleanor Roosevelt. So get away from me man, I don't want any trouble!" Damon stumbled on his words as he formed a cross with his fingers. He shielded his head protectively behind his arms.

"Look, I don't want to cause any more trouble! I want you to know that I'm not usually a violent person. That's probably hard for you to believe, but I'm not. It's just that, well, how do I explain my behaviour? Here's my attempt. I've gotta say, Elena is probably the best thing that happened to me. When I was with her, I was on top of the world. I was just always insanely protective of her. Before she became this sexy rocker diva, I had already been noticing all the guys giving her flirty grins. Of course, she never reciprocated those feelings towards those guys, but still, what was I to do? I got jealous, and tried to control her. And she broke up with me for that reason. And it's been hard letting go. So I tried to move on, I tried to fuck as many girls as I could in one night, thinking that it would help, but it didn't ease the pain. If anything, it made the situation worse. And recently, she has changed her style slightly; she's sexier now, and bolder, and the guys are just flocking to her in swarms. I guess old habits die hard. I still feel really jealous when guys hit on her. And well, seeing that she got up close and personal with you and all, I just lost my head. I completely lost my head. I never meant to hurt you or Elena. And, as hard as this may be for me to say this, if you want to go for her, I'm not going to stand in your way anymore. She's not mine anymore, and I think that I should realize that and move on. It'll definitely be difficult. But I realize that Elena deserves to be happy. And to show that I really do love her, I've gotta do what's in her best interest," Tyler conceded, offering Damon a genuinely apologetic smile.

"Are you serious? I mean, are you fucking with me or something? What made you change your mind?" Damon wondered, still skeptical of Tyler's sincerity.

"Well actually, I started out handling the situation the way I usually do: I went binging. Stefan found me at the bar that I like to go to when I'm at home in Vancouver. He tried to help me out with my problems and shit. And I guess I took his points into consideration. But it wasn't until I was at home, listening to Fuel's songs Hemorrhage, did the answers all come to me. You know those lyrics "Don't fall away and leave me to myself, don't fall away and leave love bleeding in my hands, in my hands again; Leave love bleeding, in my hands, in my hands, love lies bleeding.' Well, they made me realize that my love with Elena is bleeding, and it probably can't be mended, with the way I handled things after the breakup. I continued to control her, I continued to be an ass, I slept around. It's no wonder she decided not to get back together with me. So here's my advice to you Damon, if you're serious about her. Don't be jealous. She's a strong woman, she's independent, and she doesn't need a man controlling her every move. Appreciate her for who she is," Tyler clarified. "And anyways, I also wanted to come by and see how you're doing. You're alright, right? I mean, you're not going to press charges right?"

Alaric smirked, "Not if you say sawwy." He stared expectantly into Tyler's dark auburn eyes.

"Alright. Damon, I'm sorry for stabbing you in the neck. I'm sorry for threatening to rip your balls off. And I promise, I won't go psycho on you if you decide to get with Elena," Tyler expressed his regret.

"Excellent, just excellent! Now run along Tyler, you aren't welcome here," Alaric sneered evilly, evidently attempting to bruise Tyler's ego. Damon, however, did not have such malicious intents.

"Hey, Tyler by the way. It takes a real man to admit his errors. I respect you for that. And no, I'm not going to press charges," Damon grinned, forgiveness gleaming in his eyes. Tyler, who had started towards the door, turned around and smiled at him.

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading and the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to YAZMIN V, bellax0xchristina, zikae218, brittany salvatore 1864, and mylove4klaus.


	10. Chapter 10

10: TRUST PT I

"So everything's alright! Tyler's leaving for awhile, you can finally date who you want, without having to worry about Tyler's insecurities. So who's your target? Wait, don't answer. Let me guess. Is it the awesome and gorgeous Damon Salvatore?" Bonnie, Elena's best friend, asked enthusiastically. Elena replied with a faint grin, not diverting her attention from the noodles simmering in a pot on the kitchen stove. Bonnie impatiently stood with her hands on her curvaceous hips, tapping her foot rhythmically against the tiled floor. When she did not receive an audible response from Elena, she snatched the cooking utensils from Elena's hands. Bonnie began to overlook the noodles as Elena took a seat at the dining table. Again, Bonnie rapped her foot against the floor, waiting eagerly for Elena to respond. Finally, the suspense was too much to endure. "Are you going to answer me or something? What's with the suspense Elena?" Bonnie shrieked.

Elena rationalized, "I wasn't pausing for dramatic effect! I was pausing because I dodn't know how to respond. Look, I don't really know Damon too well. I don't think I'm ready to jump into a relationship before I get to know him better."

"But do you like him? I mean, he sure as hell likes you. No guy puts his own life on the line to save a woman's life unless he has a reason to. He could have called an ambulance for himself when he was stabbed! But he didn't. He chose to call Sage, because he knew that Sage would be able to find your whereabouts faster than the police would. Needless to say, if his roadies had come back slower and found him lying there, drenched in his own blood, he would have died! And God knows what would have happened to you. You owe him your life," Bonnie affirmed, as she separated the cooked noodles into two equal portions. The two friends dined wordlessly, with Bonnie periodically glancing in Elena's direction. "Don't do this whole, 'I'm not talking' thing again. I can tell that you totally have a thing for him."

Elena acknowledged, "Look, I don't know if I like him. Sometimes I think I do. But do I like him, or do I like his image? I mean, on the outside he seems like a decent guy. He's good looking and funny. But who knows what he's like on the inside? I'm in a rock band myself. I know what guys in a rock band do. They sleep around all the time. They aren't too trustworthy." She delicately twirled stray strands of hair around her finger and sighed deeply.

"Well, it's only Stefan and Tyler that sleep around. Elijah's pretty reserved, so it's not all rock band guys that sleep around," Bonnie defended.

"Elijah's different. He's shy. He hardly ever dates around, and he still hasn't had a serious girlfriend yet. Damon doesn't seem too shy. In fact, he seems like the confident type, who totally knows that he's hot," Elena pointed out. "Who else would come up with an album title of 'We'll Suck You In Bed'?"

"Yeah, but sometimes guys act confident and shit, but really, they are shy on the inside. Why don't you just ask his bandmates what he's like? I'm sure Sage would be honest about Damon," Bonnie proposed, reaching for the phone. "If you don't call Sage, I'm going to call her."

"And how, may I ask, would you do that? Do you have her phone number?" Elena questioned sarcastically.

"All I have to do is call Stefan or Elijah. I'm sure one of them has exchanged numbers with Sage," Bonnie retorted. Her fingers poked incessantly at the keypad as she dialed Stefan's cell number. An evidently preoccupied Stefan answered on the fifth ring. Bonnie could hear a faint female voice in the background.

"El, you know better than to bug me when I'm getting my freak on," Stefan scolded, as his female friend bombarded his neck with nibbles and kisses.

"You fucking whore! It's Bonnie, not Elena! And when are people supposed to call you then? You're always getting your freak on!" Bonnie angrily exclaimed.

"Don't call me a whore! What the fuck do you want?" an aggravated Stefan requested, as his female friend tenderly fingered the hem of his boxers. Stefan released a moan of pleasure as her fingers continued their journey southward.

"Is she giving you head or something? You're such a damn bastard!" snapped Bonnie. "Anyhow, you know that guitarist chick from My Bloody Vampire, Sage Finn? I need her cell phone number."

"Well, we happened to learn a lot about each other while we were waiting in the hospital the night Damon got stabbed. So fyi, if you think she's gonna lay you tonight, you're mistaken. The chick's got a girlfriend, and she never messes around. And by the way, no girl in her right mind would lay you," Stefan contemptuously sneered.

"Cut the crap playboy bunny! I need Sage's number because it has something to do with Elena and Damon getting together," Bonnie persisted, becoming impatient.

"Alright, give me a minute," Stefan grumbled. Some muffled mumbling occurred between Stefan and his female companion; Bonnie strained her ears, but she still could not understand their conversation. After some time, Stefan finally returned to the phone. "Okay, her cell number is 209-438-0932. Now go away," shouted Stefan, as he hung up. He immediately turned his attention back to the unfinished business at hand.

"That Stefan, he's such an asshole. I mean, a real asshole. Anyhow, I'm calling Sage now," Bonnie declared cheerfully, as she dialed Sage's digits.

"Come on, don't do this! I think it'll just ruin things," Elena pleaded, but to no avail.

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading and the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to Flora, ericadomingos, bellax0xchristina, and meigs37.


	11. Chapter 11

11: TRUST PT II

Sage vigilantly observed the street signs, as Alaric manoeuvred their rented Chevrolet Camaro around downtown Vancouver. They were on their way to St. Paul's hospital; Damon was finally free to go. A cell phone annoyingly buzzed, and Sage scrambled to answer the call. "This is the wonderfully talented, bootyiful, not to mention damn sexy Sage Finn speaking," she breathlessly answered. As Bonnie explained the situation, the foolishness dissipated from Sage's voice. Sage promised to call Bonnie back later, since she needed to powwow with Alaric first.

"Well, let me get to the point. Bonnie, who is also Elena's best friend, wants to know if Damon is, and I quote the phrase directly from her mouth, a 'playboy bunny.' In other words, she wants to know if he is totally faithful, and if he is an honest and trustworthy guy. What do we tell her? If we tell her the truth, Elena's never gonna go for him. But if we lie, well, we're fucking lying!" screamed Sage. Alaric parked the Camaro on the side of the street and looked hesitantly at Sage.

"Hm. Why don't we just twist the truth , just a bit. I mean, Damon is not totally unfaithful. But he's not totally faithful either. But, when you're halfway between whole numbers, you round upwards, so let's just conclude that he is a faithful guy. Next. Um. I think he's honest. Maybe not trustworthy. But I would describe him as honest," Alaric concluded.

Sage squealed, "True, he doesn't usually cheat. But holy shit, he cheats when he gets jealous or insecure. He told me that if Bree didn't die that night, he was seriously gonna go fuck some random chick. And seeing that Elena is really hot and sexy, I don't think it would take him too much time to get insanely jealous. And who knows who the hell he's gonna fuck if that happens!" She repeatedly pounded her head against the steering wheel.

"But that's only if he's jealous, right? When he isn't, he's decent. Look, Damon's been in a funk ever since Bree died. He needs to get on his feet again. I think we shouldn't ruin this for him. So let's not say anything that will decrease his chances with her, okay?" Alaric suggested, placing an encouraging hand on Sage's shoulder.

Sage ceased her self-mutilation. "Alright." She returned Bonnie's phone call and told her the half-honest truth.

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading and the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to YAZMIN V, VikasAdiwal, Ninaandianforever, meigs37, and Chrissy39.**  
**


	12. Chapter 12

12: FIRST DATE

"In the car, I just can't wait.  
To pick you up on our very first date.  
Is it cool if I hold your hand?  
Is it wrong if I think it's lame to dance?  
Do you like my stupid hair?  
Could you guess that I didn't know what to wear?  
I'm just scared of what you think.  
You make me nervous so I really can't eat…" the speakers spouted Blink 182's latest single. As Elena was preparing for her first date with Damon, Blink 182's "First Date" was conveniently playing on 99.3 the Fox, her favourite radio station. "Hey Bonnie, did you request this song or something?" she demanded.

Bonnie's head emerged from behind the closet door. "Nope, but I think it's a sign." She reentered Elena's walk-in closet and continued the pursuit for the perfect outfit. "God, this is so not a female rock star's closet," Bonnie pondered to herself. She was surrounded by stylishly sophisticated business suits, organized by designer and colour. An hour ago, she had decided that a power suit would be inappropriate for a romantic rendezvous. Now, she was desperate to dress her friend.

Elena muttered, "It took you an hour to realize that all I have is suits in there? Well, you've already looked at my casual stuff. Why can't I just wear what I'm wearing." She pointed to herself and struck a supermodel pose.

"I mean, you certainly have fashionable clothes on. But the outfit's not revealing enough. I mean, you want him to come back for seconds, right? Then, you gotta give him a reason to come back for seconds," Bonnie purred suggestively.

Elena defended her conservativeness. "You know how I am. If he only likes my wardrobe, then he's a waste of time. I wanna be sure that he's attracted to my mind and personality, not my appearance."

"That's certainly an honourable endeavour, but he's still a guy. But anyways, I don't wanna argue," Bonnie conceded, as she flung her arms up in defeat. Elena had already selected an outfit 45 minutes ago, and was simply waiting for her friend's approval. Elena sketchily checked herself in the mirror and then proceeded towards the front door of her penthouse apartment. Bonnie suddenly seized Elena's arm; Elena had not even bothered with makeup! Elena swatted away the cosmetics that Bonnie was brandishing in front of her face.

As Damon deteriorated into the passenger seat of the Camaro, Sage honked the horn and hollered obscenities at the drivers in front of them. Damon was supposed to meet Elena at the downtown Vancouver Milestones, but he was already 15 minutes behind schedule. Who would have predicted that Vancouver, with one-tenth of urban LA's population, could be a target of LA-like traffic turbulence? At last, they arrived at the entrance of the upscale eatery. As Damon impulsively fretted with his hair, Sage wiped away an imaginary tear; Damon was growing up.

Elena had already been accommodated in a private corner of the restaurant. When Damon noticed her, his heart almost pole-vaulted out of his throat. Unlike all of his previous girlfriends, Elena exuded an entrancing naturalness; her face was not suffocating under layers of makeup, and her body was comfortable in its second skin of clothing. He composed himself and greeted her. As he offered an apology, she offered a sympathetic smile.

After some initial awkwardness, the rest of the evening was satiated with conversation and laughter. They learned about each other's interests, discussed the music business and current events…To Elena's amazement, they were enjoying each other's company. She girlishly giggled to herself: Her plate of spaghetti had her wishing to reenact a very famous scene from "Lady and the Tramp." Damon had ordered spaghetti too. Was he thinking the same thing? He was, but with a very different reaction. Since when did Damon Salvatore start to envy fake cartoon dogs in a Disney movie?

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading and the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to YAZMIN V, Ninaandianforever, and VikasAdiwal.**  
**


	13. Chapter 13

13: WHEN CAN I SEE YOU AGAIN

The next day, My Bloody Vampire had to resume their cross-Canada tour. Due to Damon's injury, the tour had already been postponed for a month. Any longer and "profits" would have been in the red. As Damon carried his suitcases onto My Bloody Vampire's tour bus, he could not ignore the lump of sadness forming in his throat. After six months of commiseration, he had finally found someone he was interested in. Yet, he had to leave her and the situation would never work itself out to his satisfaction; it never did. He was a talented bass player, which brought him fame and fortune, but he sometimes believed that he had acquired these material possessions at the expense of his happiness. Perhaps he had inadvertently made an exchange with the Demon himself.

As the tour bus entered an endless sea of grey road, Damon attempted to engage himself in an impromptu singing practice. "I fell in love with the girl at the Rock Show, she said 'What!' and I told her that I didn't know…" he tweeted halfheartedly. Once he exhausted himself from singing, his eyelids voluntarily swept over his eyes. In his dreams, he saw Elena.

Since Tyler had temporarily left the band, Elena had to fulfil his promotional responsibilities. She was installing the tenth and final satellite, compliments of Bell ExpressVu, at a contest winner's residence. As she assembled the saucerlike dish, Schismatic supporters congregated on the sidewalk underneath, watching their heroine in action. When the structure was complete, she signed autographs for each of them and posed for pictures. Promotional activities were often uninteresting, but they were mandatory. Moreover, they had opportunely occupied her time for the past two weeks, so she would not have to contemplate the uncertain future of Schismatic. With Tyler's departure, the remaining members postponed any decisions regarding the band. They only satisfied any outstanding contractual obligations.

Elena, with her newly acquired freedom, decided to be spontaneous. Damon had been on tour for two weeks now, and she had not seen or spoken to him for that amount of time. At first, she had only intended to call him, since in her opinion, to call someone unexpectedly was a spur-of-the-moment act in itself. However, seven hours later, she was on an airplane to Toronto, My Bloody Vampire's next tour date.

Damon cheerfully chirped, "I'm gonna see her soon, I'm gonna see her soon," as he paraded through the tour bus. He playfully leapt onto Sage's back. Sage and Bex both stared at him disbelievingly, since Damon had interrupted their making out.

"Come on girlies, you've been doing that all week. Let's put the focus on me for a change," Damon twittered in a singsong voice. "Nanana…Focus on me, focus on me. I am so great. I am so great. Everybody loves me. I am so great."

Damon's childishness could no longer be ignored. Bex sniggered, "Is this about that Elena Gilbert again? I'd really like to meet her, see what the commotion is all about," as she callously glared in Sage's direction.

"Where do I begin? She's perfect. She's beautiful, talented, and hella, hella smart. She went to MIT!" Damon boasted of Elena's accomplishments once again. By now, everyone he knew knew that she had attended MIT.

"Give us some juicy stuff, like is she good in bed? Stop telling us that she went to MIT," Sage commanded. "Oh right, you haven't gotten laid yet, so you wouldn't know."

Three weeks later, the rumours regarding Schismatic's supposed breakup were addressed. Schismatic was not breaking up. In fact, when a rejuvenated Tyler rejoined the group, they began working on their sophomore release. Samples had already been recorded in Vancouver. For the next few days, they would be in San Diego, perfecting some musical arrangements with producer John Grayson. Meanwhile, My Bloody Vampire had completed their tour and were in their hometown of San Diego. Since then, Sage and Alaric had enthusiastically immersed themselves in their side projects. Damon, on the contrary, was at leisure, consuming the hours with television and video games.

One day, by chance, Sage and Alaric encountered the members of Schismatic at Signature Sound. After both bands completed their recording sessions, they proceeded to Poway's Sombreros for dinner. Damon was invited, and as usual, was behind schedule. He finally arrived, and to his amazement, Elena was as gracefully gorgeous as the last time he had seen her. He was almost content to behold her from afar. His bandmates, however, had already noticed him standing at the entrance. Once the five males were together, they were obnoxiously boisterous. They told each other some fictional (and some not so fictional) narratives about groupie conquests. "God, these rock band guys are so disgusting," Elena deliberated to herself. Damon, as if he read her mind, took her aside. "So tell me about your groupie conquests," he teased.

"Oh trust me, my adventures would put your band and the rest of my band to shame," she joked along with him.

Damon moaned, "Oh, you're one of those chicks."

"What type of girl is that," she queried, completely interested.

"You know, the flirtatious heartbreaker player girls," he explained.

She seductively hummed, "You know I am."

"So, seriously, have you uh…hooked up with anyone since we last met? By hooked up, I mean romantically, not sexually," Damon posed the question. While waiting for her response, he nervously ran his fingers through his hair.

Elena grinned, "Nope…I'm notoriously selective."

Damon inwardly cringed, "Notoriously selective? A college education would have come in handy right about now…"

Elena detected Damon's discomfort and reassuringly massaged his shoulder. "Are you okay? Wanna talk about it?" Damon declined her offer. Instead, they spent the rest of the evening meandering about Poway. For some reason, even with the lack of conversation, they felt comfortable with each other.

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading and the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to YAZMIN V, emeraldeyes262, and Thorchick1993.


	14. Chapter 14

14: A NIGHT IN RODEO DRIVE

"Self pity, my favourite sin…" Elena crooned into the microphone, as John Grayson awarded her a thumbs-up. Schismatic's San Diego stay was only supposed to be for a few days. However, under Grayson's guidance, they were working ahead of schedule. Since they did not want to unnecessarily disrupt their progress, they decided to extend their excursion by two weeks. Schismatic had already recorded half of the album, and at this rate, would complete it in a month. Today alone they had refined musical arrangements for three tracks.

During a recording interruption, Elena phoned Damon on her cellular. They had seen each other two times in the last week and were finalizing details for tonight's get-together. They were supposed to watch a movie at Damon's house. When the call ended, Elena was reenergized and ready to resume recording. Tyler noticed her obvious enthusiasm and inquired about it. "So, who was on the phone?"

"Damon, we're gonna watch a movie at his house tonight. You wanna join us?" Elena suggested.

Tyler chortled, "Nope, wouldn't want to be a middle man." He attempted to conceal the tinge of melancholy in his eyes, to no avail. Elena firmly embraced him and tenderly kissed him on the forehead.

"You've grown a lot Tyler. I'm so proud of you. I'll always love you," she whispered in his ear. He unconvincingly smiled at her through his own tears.

After three fatiguing hours, Schismatic was finished for the day. Damon had been waiting for Elena in Signature Sound's parking lot for 10 minutes. When she arrived, she breathlessly apologized for her lack of punctuality. Damon sympathetically smiled. He had been in that position more times than she had.

A nervous Neve Campbell crept around the house. After some bloodcurdling squeals, she was lolling in a puddle of her own crimson blood. As the perpetrator once again hoisted his knife in the air, Damon noticed that Elena was not adhering to him like most girls would be during this suspenseful sequence in the movie. Nor did she flinch when the murderer repeatedly stabbed Neve in the chest. "Interesting, a chick who isn't afraid of scary movies," Damon marvelled to himself. Certainly, it would make it difficult for him to cuddle with her, but he was willing to accept the challenge. He inconspicuously (or so he thought) stretched out his arm across the couch and draped it just above her shoulder. She was aware of his actions, and she murmured in his ear, "Isn't it so corny when guys yawn and try to put their arm around a girl?" He could feel himself flush as he sheepishly removed his arm from her shoulder. She laughed at his insecurity and rested her head on his chest. Only then did he have enough courage to place his arm around her again.

One week later, Schismatic had a well-deserved day off. Elena decided to capitalize on it.

"I can't believe you've never been to Rodeo Drive," Damon said skeptically. "You're a girl and a rock star, and you've never been to Rodeo Drive?"

Elena retorted, "Well, Superstar, I'm not as rich as you!"

"Of course not, you're richer. Anyways, I hardly shop here either. Beverly Hills doesn't sells the stuff I'm into. You know, Hurley and Atticus. All they sell is Gucci, Armani, Valentino…" Damon listed the well-known European designers.

"You're well-versed in designer fashions," observed Elena.

Damon exhaled noisily. "Well, Bree used to be really into those designers." Although the tears threatened to tumble, he restrained them for Elena's sake.

"Don't worry, if you want to cry, I won't laugh at you. And I promise I won't tell Sage," Elena guaranteed. He was appreciative of her understanding.

"Anyways, I'm here for you today, which store you want to go to first?" Damon requested.

"Let's start at Wiltshire Boulevard and take it from there," Elena resolved.

In under one hour, they had visited the three blocks of boutiques extending from Wiltshire Boulevard to Santa Monica Boulevard. Expensive shoes from Saks Fifth Avenue and decorative ornaments from Tiffany were not of interest to Elena.

"Do you not buy anything for yourself?" Damon inquired incredulously.

In the evening, they decided to dine in one of the Drive's ritziest restaurants. Elena, adorned in a Chanel business suit, blended in with the classy crowd of customers. Damon, however, seemed inelegantly out of place in his shorts and Atticus T-shirt. The head maître d' expressed his concern. "I'm sorry young man, but the McDonalds is on the other side of town." Damon was livid and about to curse obscenities, when Elena came to his defence.

"You know, these debutantes of Rodeo Drive are among the most arrogant and conceited people I've seen in my life. I think McDonalds sounds more appealing right now," Elena enunciated. She disregarded the displeased look of the maître d' and took Damon by the hand, escorting him out the door.

Sombreros was the setting, as Damon and Elena devoured their delectable burritos. Sometimes, a fast-food combo could be more gratifying than an upscale eatery's main course. After awhile, Damon expressed his gratitude. "Thanks for defending me back there."

"Don't worry. I hate those types of people. I would think that if he knew you were in a world-renowned rock band, he would have been desperate to kiss your feet," Elena assured. They continued to have light-hearted conversation while Damon's heart tumultuously twisted in knots. Tonight, Elena had officially won it over. To this point, he had not pursued her for two reasons: He had always felt inferior to her, and he was uncertain of the nature of his feelings for her. Tonight, his questions were answered: He had no reason to feel inferior, and his feelings were not platonic at all.

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading and the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to Ninaandianforever and kaybaby1127.


	15. Chapter 15

15: DOWN FOR YOU TO KISS ME

_A Schizophrenic's Story, _Schismatic's sophomore album, was scheduled for a January 2002 release. Two weeks before the release date, the members of Schismatic were coursing with hysteric energy: restless insomnia, bodily ticks, the works. The success of their debut album could be written off as beginner's luck. However, if their sophomore album had similar success, it would establish their longevity as musicians. January 22, 2002 eventually arrived and the anticipated album followed. Supporters eagerly proved that Schismatic's first album was no fluke, as they purchased approximately 1.25 million copies in the first week and propelled the album to the top of the Billboard charts.

Universal Geffen was proud of its prodigies and coordinated an exclusive release party in their honour. The band was overwhelmed, as the likes of Bon Jovi appeared to celebrate with them. Each Schismatic member was sifting through a different section of the crowd, socializing with anyone catching his or her attention. Hybrid Theory's front man, Bennett Jeremy, reached for Elena's arm as she passed by him and congratulated her.

"Congratulations! Great album…" he hollered into her ear, as the surrounding hullabaloo began to obscure his voice.

"Thanks? I couldn't hear you, but I assume it had something to do with the album," Elena conjectured, as she strained to hear his response.

Bennett shouted, "You wanna dance?" He made a motion with his hands so she would understand. She agreed to his proposal, so he thrust his hips forwards and positioned his arms on her waist. "He's certainly touchy feely," she thought to herself but those thoughts flew away once her favourite Kylie Minogue song began blasting over the loudspeakers.

Meanwhile, Damon had been witnessing the exchange between Bennett and Elena. He felt somewhat jealous; actually,somewhat was an understatement. He observed from a distance, contemplating whether to approach them or not. She noticed him before he could decide, bid adieu to Bennett, and advanced towards him. She was sometimes sidetracked by celebrities and record executives wanting to congratulate her. After what seemed like an eternity to Damon, but in actuality was only about 10 minutes, she reached his side. He pulled her into an embrace and motioned towards the balcony.

"Hey you. You look good. Never seen you so dolled up before," Damon confessed. She was bejewelled in a breathtaking Versace evening dress.

Elena blushed. "Well, there's a first time for everything. What's up with you? You seem kinda distraught."

"I'm that obvious?" he nervously laughed, as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Actually…well…I don't how to say it. This, you, me…" he gestured with his hands. "Okay let me say it another way. When I saw you with Bennett Jeremy, I kinda found myself becoming, well…pointlessly…jealous. Well, not pointless. There's a reason. It's because I kinda…sorta…well…I have feelings for you."

"Wow…" Elena uneasily massaged her temples.

"I mean, well, it's not like we haven't known each other for a long time. It's been, like, what, six months since we first became friends. So what I'm trying to say is…um…If I suggested it, would you consider it? I mean, us being together, as a, you know, thing," Damon insinuated.

She replied, flabbergasted, "I don't know…This is so out of the blue! I never expected this Damon."

"What? I mean, I thought you would have known by now! Sage's always teasing, Stefan's always teasing…Did you think they were joking?" Damon wondered disbelievingly.

Elena responded, "Well, I'm kinda dense when it comes to relationships. But, I think you're a great guy, and I think…me…you…us. It might work. So, why don't we give it a try? As long as we promise each other, if this doesn't work out, we won't compromise our friendship." Damon agreed, and they embraced once again.

Damon fretfully fussed with his hair in front of the mirror, as Sage sprayed some cologne onto him. Ten minutes later, when Damon was satisfied with his appearance, he reached over for his coat and wallet. Before he could make his way out the door, Sage placed an unyielding hand onto his shoulder. "Now now young man, where are we going today?" Sage inquired in a freakishly girlish tone.

Damon exasperatedly grumbled, "Out with my girlfriend, Mom."

"Now, do you have protection, Son? I don't want you impregnating the poor girl," Sage snarled, as she whacked Damon on the back.

"Sage, come on!" Damon grimaced at the low blow.

"Yah, yah, I know you haven't scored yet, so it's fun to rub it in your face! Real fun!" Sage screeched.

Damon flipped Sage the bird. "Fuck off!"

Paparazzi persistently pursued Damon and Elena as they scurried towards the Marriott Hotel. Once they were in the security of the hotel café, they were able to unwind and enjoy themselves. They did not let the incessant camera flashes coming from outside the window discourage them, because they were accustomed to the attention. The couple had been together for about two months, and photographers had been following them for that amount of time. Damon and Elena, in attempts to protect their relationship from the prying paparazzi eye, avoided all public displays of affection. Therefore, a competition between paparazzi ensued. Each wanted to be the first to photograph an affectionate exchange between the couple.

"How they're wasting their time! If they only knew…" Damon pondered to himself. Elena and him had not even indulged in their first kiss! Damon wondered when their relationship would progress to a more intimate level. He had been waiting patiently, ever so patiently…

After dinner, they returned to Elena's penthouse hotel suite and watched a pay-per-view movie. They were nestled together on the king-size bed, watching an action thriller dramagedy. Once it was finished, Damon readied to leave, but Elena unexpectedly reached up and kissed him on the lips. Neither had ever experienced a passion so intense.

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Thank you for reading and the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to Ninaandianforever.


	16. Chapter 16

16: SHE'S SO HIGH

Elena mindlessly giggled as Damon lost his balance and wobbled on his skates. He glared at her defiantly and attempted to regain his balance by himself. "Well, I wasn't born in Canada. I was born in California. Down there, we aren't born with skates on our feet."

Stefan condescendingly countered, "At least Elena didn't pretend to be good at skateboarding. Elena, do you recall a conversation where someone, who shall remain unnamed, said he was a natural at all sports?"

"Yep, I remember that…" Elena recalled, as Damon chased after her. He ended up on his ass with Elena in his lap. They stayed in that position for some time, then Elena kissed the tip of his nose and helped him up. Some Schismatic and My Bloody Vampire fanatics approached them, in search of autographs. They obliged, personalizing messages for the first few fans. As the mob grew, they had to hastily scrawl their initials.

Since Stefan conveniently had some "business" to attend to, Damon and Elena were alone for the rest of the evening. They resolved to eat dinner at her apartment, since they did not want to be bothered any more predatory paparazzi or frenzied fanatics. Sage called, wanting to discuss the details of My Bloody Vampire tour departure. In three days, My Bloody Vampire would be embarking on their "Pop Disaster Tour," co-headlining with Hybrid Theory.

"So, Elena, how's those protons and neutrons doing these days," questioned Sage, her voice broadcasted on the speakerphone.

Elena chuckled, "I'll ask them the next time I see them."

"What a stupid question," Damon interjected.

Sage snapped, "Hey, it's not like you could have an intelligible conversation with an engineer, either." Damon clenched and unclenched his fists. Sage, whether intentional or not, had deeply offended him. For almost months, Elena and he had enjoyed a comfortable romance - but only when he was not reminded of how inferior he was to her. Damon was insecure by disposition, and Elena outclassed him in everything, which did not help the situation. While Schismatic had been an overnight phenomenon, My Bloody Vampire had laboured for a lifetime to achieve success. To date, Schismatic's worldwide record sales were triple those of My Bloody Vampire. Schismatic, at all of the awards ceremonies, had outshined My Bloody Vampire. Schismatic's success was not the only silage for Damon's insecurity. On a personal level, Elena's accomplishments significantly outnumbered Damon's. Elena had been educated at one of America's most prominent universities. Damon had had no direction in college, taking any course that captured his fancy, and he had abandoned his college education to dedicate himself to My Bloody Vampire. Elena was even named in the most recent People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful" list…

The doorbell droned, disrupting Damon from his self-loathing state. Tyler, the thoughtful fellow, was delivering their dinner. Elena welcomed him with an embrace, an embrace that was too friendly in Damon's opinion. The corners of Damon's lips snarled maliciously, as he attempted to restrain himself. When Tyler gestured a hello with his hand, Damon spitefully grunted in response. Tyler, apparently uncomfortable with the situation, left after placing the takeout food in Elena's arms. Elena set the food down on the kitchen table and approached Damon. "What's wrong?" she asked in a soothing tone.

"You have the nerve to ask me what's wrong?!" he roared in hostility. "You might as well have fucked him in front of me!"

She raised her hand to caress his cheek. "Baby, what are you talking about?"

Damon withdrew from her touch. "That hug. What the hell was that? Well…Let me guess. I think that you and Tyler never stopped your relationship. You've probably been screwing him ever since we've been together."

When that venomous accusation spewed from his mouth, Elena was at first dumbfounded, then absolutely infuriated. "How dare you accuse me of cheating!"

"Fuck this, I'm out of here!" Damon sputtered and he slammed the door on his way out. The abhorring sound resonated throughout the apartment.

"Yeah, we're not into the whole 'groupie' scene. I mean, it's way too risky. You could get a girl pregnant, you could get an STD, so we don't take our chances on these things," Damon answered the Much Music VJ.

Alaric added, "I used to be bad, back in the day, but now we have girlfriends and stuff."

After their performance in the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, My Bloody Vampire joined Hybrid Theory backstage. A swarm of screaming females had been surrounding Hybrid Theory's Bennett Jeremy, but half of them separated and latched onto the members of My Bloody Vampire. Damon was overwhelmed. They only reminded him of Elena. He had not conversed with her since his outbreak, and the Pop Disaster Tour was already on its third date. He had been melodramatic: The embrace between Tyler and Elena was platonic, and he knew it within his heart of hearts. He reached inside his pocket for his cellular and began dialing Elena's digits. Before he could finish, someone captured his attention. She was an attractive ethnic woman, about twenty years of age, with mesmerizing almond brown eyes and luscious raven locks. She flashed him a flirtatious smile.

She voraciously sucked on the flesh of Damon's collarbone as he fidgeted with the hotel room keycard. Once they were inside, they descended onto the king-sized bed. Seconds later, they had liberated each other from their confining clothing and were bare in naked glory. At first, Damon was hesitant to proceed. However, as her mouth traveled southwards, all his reservations were forgotten…

Her name was Meredith Fell. She was 21 years old, and had been a follower of My Bloody Vampire's music since their underground first album. She had quit school when she was 14.

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Thank you for reading and the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to Ninaandianforever, YAZMIN V, and becausethenight.


	17. Chapter 17

17: MY SACRIFICE

"Elena, baby, I'm so sorry about my outbreak the other day…I was such a jerk, please forgive me?" Damon beseeched over the phone.

Elena heaved a sigh. "Alright. Only because you're so cute and adorable."

"I love you lots. So, um…Fly out to see me for our three month anniversary. It's belated, but it's better than nothing…" Damon suggested. As Elena responded, a conflict was waging in Damon's mind.

"You fucked another chick! Good for you! You deserved to get laid. If Elena wasn't gonna do it, then you had to go elsewhere," Damon's Devil comforted.

Damon's Angel countered, "You must be high, you insecure and neurotic little twit. Not only did Damon get upset for no reason when Tyler and Elena hugged, he also accused her of cheating on him and then went out and cheated himself. It's all your fault, you ruined everything."

"Fuck you! If it weren't for me, Damon would always be unhappy…It's because of you and your conscience, that Damon hadn't been laid the whole time he was with Elena. And she was cheating on him. It was a sexual hug," the Devil retorted.

"Oh my God! Your such an insecure, jealous jerk. It's your fault that Bree died. Now it's gonna be your fault when Elena walks out on Damon. Damon, do the right thing, you have to tell her, you have to tell her, you have to tell her, you have to tell her, you have to tell her, you have to tell her…" the Angel whined. Damon desperately rubbed his pulsating temples, as his passionate night with the groupie replayed over and over and over in his head… Droplets of sweat began to form on his forehead, and he cradled himself in the fetal position, as the clock ticked time away and laughed at him maniacally. Finally, Damon could not control himself.

"Elena, I slept with a groupie yesterday…" he commenced, only to be halted by a dial tone. He replaced the phone into its receiver. He wrapped himself in the bedsheets, as he cried himself to sleep. Before he drifted off, he could hear a cheerful Sage crooning along with the rest of Hybrid Theory…  
"I'm sick  
Of always hearing  
Sappy love songs  
On the radio  
All day  
It is there to remind  
An oversensitive guy  
That he's lost and alone  
I can't forgive  
Can't forget  
Can't give in  
What went wrong  
Cause you said  
This was right  
You fucked up my life…"

MTV was hosting their annual "Video Music Awards" soiree on August 29, 2002 at New York City's Radio Music Hall. Once again, Schismatic had been nominated for "Best Video Of The Year," with "Self Pity." Even though Eminem's "Without Me," Linkin Park's "In The End" and other notables were also nominated, Schismatic was considered to be the overwhelming favourite. As predicted, they won the coveted Moon Man trophy. Once they accepted their award, they were ushered backstage and interviewed by an MTV VJ. As if by some divine force, My Bloody Vampire was also backstage, preparing to present an award. Elena and Damon locked eyes for a second, and Damon gathered enough courage to approach her. Yet, as he approached her, he could not bear to look at her chestnut brown eyes or her luscious lips; instead, he fixated his attention on the Moon Man trophy in her hand.

Hello my friend, we meet again  
It's been awhile, where should we begin?  
Feels like forever  
Within my heart a memory  
A perfect love that you gave to me  
Oh, I remember

When you are with me I'm free  
I'm careless, I believe  
Above all the others we'll fly  
This brings tears to my eyes  
My Sacrifice

We've seen our share of ups and downs  
Oh how quickly life can turn around  
In an instant  
It feels so good to realize  
What's in yourself and within your mind  
Let's find peace there

When you are with me I'm free  
I'm careless, I believe  
Above all the others we'll fly  
This brings tears to my eyes  
My Sacrifice

I just want to say hello again  
I just want to say hello again

When you are with me I'm free  
I'm careless, I believe  
Above all the others we'll fly  
This brings tears to my eyes  
Cause when you are with me I am free  
I'm careless, I believe  
Above all the others we'll fly  
This brings tears to my eyes  
My Sacrifice, My Sacrifice

I just want to say hello again  
I just want to say hello again

My Sacrifice.

"My Sacrifice" by Creed

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Thank you for reading and the feedback, follows, and favourites. Special thanks to Ninaandianforever, YAZMIN V, bellax0xchristina, and becausethenight.


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